Bane (episode)
"Bane" is the first episode of Season 3 of . It first premiered on September 10, 1994. This is the only time that Bane appeared as an episode's main villain. Plot is introduced to Rupert Thorne.]] After being crossed for the umpteenth time by Batman, Rupert Thorne decides to hire the chemically-powered superhuman Bane to assassinate the Dark Knight once and for all. Upon arriving in Gotham, Bane strikes up a friendship with Thorne's aide Candace, and meets with Thorne, who pays him a suitcase full of diamonds. Rather than rushing in, Bane, curious to know how Batman fights, decides to tail the recently-escaped Killer Croc to a construction yard, where Croc is already on the run from Batman and Robin. Bane confronts Croc in the sewer, and brutally beats him, knocking him out. To leave his calling card, Bane literally smashes up the front of the Batmobile with his bare hands. Batman visits Croc in Arkham for details on the mysterious "helper", and Croc describes his attacker as a huge man with a South American accent with tubes wired into his head which pumped him up twice as big. At the same time, Croc warns Batman that the attacker can easily break his bones. Back at the Batcave, Batman relates Croc's description with records of "Project Gilgamesh", a scientific experiment in a Cuban prison to create super soldiers which resulted in Bane. Given Bane's high fee, Batman quickly hits on Thorne as the only one of his enemies with enough spare cash to hire the assassin. captures Robin.]] Meanwhile, Bane and Candice grow closer, plotting to overthrow and kill Thorne to take over his criminal empire. Robin spies on Thorne and Bane with binoculars from a nearby building as Batman tails Candace in the now-repaired Batmobile. Unfortunately, Bane sneaks up behind Robin and a rooftop chase ensues. Robin holds his own, but is eventually caught and knocked out. Bane, surprised by Robin's courage, realizes just how he could use him towards his advantage. Batman follows Candace to her apartment and starts questioning her about Bane. Candace tells him that Bane is fascinated by him, knows everything about him, and Bane's biggest dream is to defeat him. Just as Candace mocks Batman for not realizing that Bane is spying on him too, Batman receives a call from Bane himself, saying that he has kidnapped Robin—for proof, leaving his costume shirt on a nearby satellite dish for Batman to see—and ordering Batman to the wharves. As Batman flies, Candace leaves for the same destination. On the ship The Rose's Thorn, Bane has chained Robin to a crane and tied weights around his legs. He then lowers the crane into the ship's hold, which is filling with water. Batman arrives, and Bane pumps himself up and duels with Batman. While Bane's brute strength far exceed Batman's, Batman's speed and agility allow him to stay ahead. Eventually, Batman uses a harpoon-gun to send Bane flying off the ship and into the water. prepares to break Batman.]] Batman then attempts to free Robin, which he manages to do just as an enraged Bane returns and resumes the fight, kicking Robin back into the pool. Robin beckons to Candace, who calmly removes her shoes and jumps into the water to fight him. Unimpressed with Batman's effort, Bane literally beats him helpless. He offers Batman mercy, who refuses. Bane raises him into the air, preparing to break him over his knee. However, Batman jams a Batarang into the venom control on Bane's wrist, and the venom starts pumping into Bane's body non-stop, literally inflating him. Just as Bane begins to reach the risk of a critical heart attack, Batman pulls the venom tube out of Bane's head, and Bane deflates, exhausted and without his strength, but still alive. Meanwhile, Robin wins the fight against Candace, who flees back to Thorne. Batman carries the weakened Bane back to Thorne's office, and mocks Thorne for not giving him a better challenge. Batman also plays a recording of Candace's conversation with Bane, discussing their plans to murder Thorne next. Satisfied, Batman leaves the office, as Thorne turns angrily on his treacherous secretary. Continuity * The car Candace uses to pick up Bane was previously used as Two-Face's transportation in "Two-Face, Part II". The cars have the same make, color, and even license plate: 7079. Background information Home video releases * * Batman: The Complete Animated Series (DVD) * The Adventures of Batman & Robin: Batman - A Fight to the Finish (VHS) * Best of Batman (DVD) * Batman's Big Video (VHS) Production inconsistencies * When Batman watches the film explaining the origin of Bane, a misspelling can be seen in the Spanish title shown as "Projecto Gilgamesh". The correct spelling of the word in Spanish is "Proyecto". * When Robin is staked out on the building across the street to spy on Bane and Thorne, he has surveillance equipment with him. As Bane charges at Robin, the equipment is still there. However, a moment later as the two begin to fight, the equipment has suddenly vanished. Trivia * This episode marks the first animated appearance of Bane, and his only appearance in . * The second and final appearance of Candace, Thorne's assistant. * This episode marks the final appearance of Killer Croc on Batman: The Animated Series. * Bane's comic version wears a full-face mask, but the animated version wears a similar mask that exposes his nose and mouth. * The producers originally didn't like Bane because they felt he was a gimmick character. * This is the only time in the DCAU that Bane's true face is seen; the episode makes a joke of it, making Bane's face so boyish that nobody could possibly be scared of it. * When Alfred hands Bruce the paper with Thorne's name on it, the text underneath is taken from chapter 3 of Joseph Sheppard's "Realistic Figure Drawing". * The final fight scene, when Bane demands that Batman beg for mercy, and then threatens to break his back, is an homage to the comics storyline Knightfall, when Bane does just that and declares himself ruler of Gotham City. Other references include Bane's easy defeat of Croc (which happened shortly before Knightfall), Croc telling Batman that Bane will snap him in two, and Bane's abduction of Robin. * Henry Silva (Bane) and John Vernon (Rupert Thorne) had both previously appeared in the 1983 women-in-prison exploitation film Chained Heat. * Bane is the second villain who decides to study Batman's moves and methods before fighting him directly. The first was The Clock King. Cast Quotes Category:A to Z Category:Batman: The Animated Series episodes